Teaware

The teaware we offer, like our teas, must meet a number of high standards. The right teaware enhances the tea experience and we test out many different teapots and cups to ensure an ease of use, aesthetic charm, and high function with good value.

Rustic, woodsy, and handcrafted, this wood-fired side-handle teapot is a rare gem with lots of artistic touch.

Rustic, subdued, lovely to hold, one of a kind.

This handmade kyusu is a testament to the beauty that can come from the pottery wheel and traditional wood-firing. The speckled gray mineral-rich clay is colored and textured naturally by fallen ash from the wood used in the week-long firing. The amount of effort and skill that goes into creating a complex piece like this is astonishing.

This teapot is ideal for gong fu tea preparation when sharing with a others, or just by yourself. The unglazed clay will season very well, and the teapot is surprisingly lightweight

Many functional and artistic enhancement have been added to this unique pot. There is a 14-hole filter at the spout that is ideal for brewing all Chinese and Taiwanese teas. The tapering of teapot body at the lid will allow for greater temperature retention and even leaf expansion.

This teapot was handmade in Yingge, Taiwan, and has a volume of 200ml (6.75oz).

Simple, petite, and rustic, with a wood-fired gradient.

This handmade teapot is a subdued piece of art. The fine particle gray clay exhibits a beautiful outer texture that comes from a controlled wood kiln firing. I really enjoy all of the texture in this teapot. Some, parts, like the base, are very smooth from the natural sediment glaze, while some more rough.

This teapot is ideal for gong fu tea preparation when sharing with a friend, or just by yourself. For its small size, it has a nice density to it from the fine particle Dehua clay.

This teapot would be very suitable for all Chinese and Taiwanese teas. There is a 9-hole filter at the spout.

This teapot was handmade in Dehua, Fujian, China, and has a volume of 150ml (5oz).

All of the simplicity of a gaiwan, but easier to use because of the built in straining ridges.

Simple, easy to use vessel for brewing or sharing tea.

The gaiwan is one of the oldest tea brewing devices, but it can be somewhat difficult to learn how to use. I've found the hohin, which is basically a gaiwan with ridges for straining tea, to be much easier to use, while still maintaining simplicity.

This vessel is intended to be used to brew and strain tea, but it could also be used as a cha hai, or sharing pitcher... so it is very utilitarian and multi-functional.

The clay is a blend of nine clays, and it has a rough texture that is unglazed on the inside.

This hohin was in Jiangxi, China, and has a volume of 350ml (11.75oz).

Simple form, unrefined texture, old-world feel.

This handmade kyusu is humble in its look and feeling. The red and black speckled clay is similar in texture to Japanese Shigaraki, and it feels unique to the touch. To me, it has an old-world, unrefined aesthetic. This type of clay should age beautifully with tea patina.

This teapot is ideal for gong fu tea preparation when sharing with several friends, or just by yourself. It's a bit larger than most of Totem's other teapots, but it is still quite easy to use.

This teapot was handmade in Yingge, Taiwan, and has a volume of 300ml (10oz)

Rustic, small teapot handmade with unglazed large particle red and black speckled clay.

Simple form, unrefined texture, old-world feel.

This handmade teapot is humble in its look and feeling. The red and black speckled clay is similar in texture to Japanese Shigaraki, and it feels unique to the touch. To me, it has an old-world, unrefined aesthetic. This type of clay should age beautifully with tea patina.

This teapot is ideal for gong fu tea preparation when sharing with a friends, or just by yourself. The handle is very easy to hold, and it has nice balance. It has 7-hole hexagon filter that will work well for all types of Chinese and Taiwanese teas.

This teapot was handmade in Yingge, Taiwan, and has a volume of 150ml (5oz)

Handmade and traditional, this unglazed red shudei clay Japanese teapot is a simple treasure.

Simple and elegant function with timeless Japanese red-earth.

This little red beauty can fit in the palm of your hand and brew a delicious pot of tea for one or shared with a friend. This red unglazed mineral rich clay is smooth and elegant. Artistry is evident in its fine pouring and fine ceramic filter. The wide exact fitting lid allows for easy removal of used leaves.

This specific kyusu is made from the Shudei clay from Japan which is iron rich and good for brewing all types of teas. The clay is said to impart a soft smooth and long-lasting taste to the tea due to its unglazed finish and mineral richness.

We've used this very style kyusu for years, and it is one of our favorite brewing devices, especially since after two years of usage it has seasoned so beautifully.

This teapot was made in Aichi, Japan, and has a volume of 140ml (4.75oz).

This teapot is incredibly functional and has several features like a cut-out rim and drip guard that make it a joy to use.

Artful and utilitarian, with handmade variations in each pot.

We have been using this kind of brewing device for years, and it has become a standby. The orange-red dot is a result of oxidation and reduction in the kiln. The clay used is Japanese red shudei, and in the firing process, part of the pot is buried, part exposed, resulting in the unique coloration pattern.

This fine kyusu is ideal for brewing with friends or individually for a full 8oz cup of tea. The teapot handles easily in one hand pouring and the flow of tea is extremely clean with no dribbling.

Many functional and artistic enhancement have been added to this unique pot. There is a ceramic filter in the pot which makes it ideal for brewing all types of teas from Japanese greens to Taiwanese oolongs and more. The flange on the lid is cut out on the back side to facilitate easy removal of tea leaves and the handle is textured for no slip pouring.

This is an unglazed pot with a burnished clay finish making it smooth and beautiful. It will make a treasured piece in any collection.

This teapot was handmade in Aichi, Japan, and has a volume of 280ml (9.5oz).

Classic purple clay pear-shaped teapot that will season well and is excellent for large leaf teas.

Unglazed purple clay in the classic and minimal pear form.

This purple clay pear-shaped teapot from Taiwan is a great device for brewing large-leaf teas. We find that this classic shape works very well for keeping tea leaves near the bottom of the teapot and away from the lid when brewing, which is nice because it allows for a small volume of water to easily cover the leaves.

The pour is smooth, the lid-fit is great, and it is a pleasure to use. Because it is unglazed it will slowly season with use, smoothing and enhancing your teas over time. The filter is a 7-hole hexagonal formation.

Traditional wide gaiwan made with a blend of 9 clays and glazed with a speckled sky blue.

9 blended Chinese clays glazed with a soft speckled sky blue.

Nothing speaks of traditional tea brewing like a Gaiwan (蓋碗 Gàiwǎn). This tea brewing device is versatile and elegant with its roots reaching back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Its versatility is due to the use of porcelain and its ability to not carry scents or flavors from the various teas brewed in it. Gaiwans have traditionally been used for green tea and white teas because they do not affect the lighter and subtle flavors or fresher teas.

The gaiwan can also be used as a cup to drink the tea from and not just a brewing instrument. In China it is common to see people sipping their green tea from a gaiwan with the lid still on as a means to hold back the tea leaves. When the gaiwan is used as a drinking device all three of its parts are used, the lid, cup and saucer. The lid has multiple functions. It can be used to keep the water warm and as a strainer when pouring and drinking to hold back the leaves. The cup is used for brewing and drinking and the saucer is used for holding the gaiwan if it is hot or for setting it down.

The use of a gaiwan is related to Gongfu tea service which roughly translates as “skilled” tea service. The reason that “gongfu” tea service has the notion of skilled is that the preparation requires focus and attention to detail requiring a degree of skilled action. The use of a gaiwan is not difficult but does require skill in that the upper lid is used as a filter for the tea leaves when poured. What makes a gaiwan more or less difficult is the flare of the lip on the cup. The wider the flare of the lip of the cup the easier it is to hold, use and pour. The lip cannot be too wide which would make it difficult to handle with one hand, which is how gaiwans are traditionally poured. We looked for gaiwans that are beautiful and easy to use, all three of the handcrafted gaiwans that we have sourced from China meet this criteria.

Modern style teapot that is incredibly simple to use and works well for all types of tea.

Simple, modern design with a static french press style filter.

This elegant and modern glass teapot is very easy to use, and is what we recommend to someone looking for the easiest and least expensive way to brew with a teapot so that the tea leaves have plenty of room to expand and also show off their beauty.

The BPA-free lid has a simple push down design that forms a seal with a silicon gasket against the glass. The lid itself has a fine, static french press style mesh filter that holds back the tea leaves when pouring. Because glass is neutral and won't season, you can use this with any tea without worrying about crossing flavors.

This is a teapot, not a kettle, so it is not suitable for stovetop use. To brew with this teapot: 1) heat your water with your separate kettle, 2) add leaves to this one-touch teapot, 3) add the hot water to the teapot, 4) place the lid on the teapot. After the tea has steeped to your liking 5) pour the brewed tea into your cup of choice.

Simple pitcher and filter for sharing tea or for holding tea when pouring into a small cup.

Simple, multiple hand-positions, comfortable to use.

When sharing tea with others or when brewing with small teacups it is sometimes useful to have a glass serving and mixing pitcher. Borosilicate Glass, being a neutral material, won't easily keep the flavors of the tea, and it makes for beautiful presentation of the tea before pouring. We often hold the tea up to the light to inspect and appreciate translucency and color.

Cha hai means "sea of tea" and it is thus named because in this vessel the tea mixes before being served, assuring that each cup poured will be evenly blended.

We like this style cha hai because you can hold it by the collar or by the handle, making it very easy to pour.